2019 Febrero Fiesta Raises $12,000

Thanks For Attending and Donating!

On Thursday, February 28th, nearly 120 old and new friends of CoCoDA gathered at the Athenaeum in downtown Indianapolis to celebrate past successes, hear about new dreams and party. The evening included pupusas from La Guanaquita, music by Pavel Polanco and Direct Contact, a silent auction with over $1500 in crafts and art from Central America, a pinata for the kids and a fun fundraising game.

Here are some of the highlights from this year's event...

Raised $12,000 for projects in Central America.

Introduced CoCoDA to 42 new people.

Added 16 new monthly donors.

Added a $250 scholarship sponsor

Signed up three more people for the Friends of CoCoDA trip in June.

Most importantly, we shared stories about the people impacted by our work in Central America. They are the reason we do what we do.

Special Thanks To Our 2019 Event Sponsors!

DePauw University, The West Foundationand the Indiana University Department of Family Medicine

Announcing Global Ethical Training

May 18-28th, 2019 in El Salvador

Thousands of people visit Central America every year. Some visit as tourists. Many visit as volunteers.Some think themselves saviors. Others go as critics. Many people return from Central America with little understanding of the country they visited. Their visit merely reinforced their prejudices and stereotypes.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Companion Community Development Alternatives has spent twenty five years offering a different kind of experience to visitors to Central America. Our collaborative model connects North Americans with Central Americans and their dreams. The goal isn’t to “help” needy people, but to live and work side by side with Central Americans, to share and understand their lives and culture. When we work on a project, we understand that Central Americans could probably do the work quicker and cheaper without us. Their gift is to allow us to learn from them, to participate in their dreams.

Global Ethical Training is precisely what it sounds like. It’s boot camp for people who want to become global citizens, for people looking to immerse themselves in another culture. Participants spend two days in cultural and historical orientation, learning about the country from people who love that country. They live with host families, sharing in their daily routine, understanding their daily challenges. They work on a community project side by side with Central Americans. They spend time talking with people about their accomplishments and challenges. They learn how North Americans have and continue to damage and exploit Central America. They end each day reflecting on the ethical dimensions of what they’ve done, heard and seen.

If you want to save the world, this experience isn’t for you.

Global Ethical Training isn’t about you making a difference, but about you seeing the world in a very different way.

1. Send a check to:

2. Make a single donation via credit card:

3. Make a donation every month:

All donations will be designated to the General Fund unless directed toward a specific project.

Donations to CoCoDA are tax deductible.

Friends Of CoCoDA Tour

June 9-16, 2019

Suchitito, El Salvador

Join us for this affordable, family friendly exploration of El Salvador. You'll immerse yourself in another culture, its history and its people. You'll visit Mayan ruins,volcanoes as well as CoCoDA projects. You'll live in a village for three days and work on a small two day project. Most of all, you'll have your understanding of yourself and the world expanded. For more information or to register, click here.

We Support The Dreamers

The CoCoDA Board has approved our support of the renewal of the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) Act, which has provided legal avenues for education and employment to over 800,000 Latino youth and young adults who were brought to the US as children. We believe deporting these children would be ethically and economically disastrous for them and for our country. Our letter of support can be viewed here.

Work with CoCoDA in Central America

A CoCoDA delegation's blend of learning and service is not just travel; it's a journey. Find out more about what our delegation trips are like and plan a delegation for your university, church, club, or organization. To explore some of the common questions concerning a CoCoDA delegation check out our Unique Approach and Logistical Questions pages.

In El Salvador, we are presently developing two solar powered water systems in small, rural communities. We are also constructing a dental clinic in La Mora. We're looking for groups, foundations, or universities who would like to collaborate on one of these projects. For more details on this project, check out our Water Projects page.

In Nicaragua, we will be working with the villages of Agua Calientes, Zacataloza, La Sabanita and Cacao to bring basic services such as adequate roads, latrines and small community centers or schools. However, there is opportunity to work on nearly any type of project. Why not organize a delegation to Nicaragua in 2018?